Largest traction kite
Who
KiteShip Corporation
What
420 square metre(s)
Where
Australia (Sydney)
When
A 420 m² (4,521 ft²) traction kite manufactured by KiteShip Corporation (USA) was used to propel an 8.5 tonne (18,740 lb) yacht near Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, on 6 December 2004, the largest kite ever used to pull a vehicle of any kind. A traction kite is similar to the aerofoil kites flown by kiting enthusiasts, but on a much larger scale. In the context of yachting the kite is used to replace the spinnaker (although in this instance no other sails were flown in addition to the kite).